Projectile.



Patented Aug. I2. I902.

FIEJ- FIE-L2.

FIGS.

F/GE;

I VENTOR UNiTEn STA'rns PATENT Fri-on.

PROJECTILE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 707,024, dated August 12, 1902.

The invention described herein relates to eertain improvements in projectiles of the. class or. kind forming the subject-matter of Letters Patent No. 581,946, granted to me May 4., 1807, having for its object the carrying by the projectile of a non-explosive pyrotechnic compound adapted to be ignited on the discharge of the projectile from the gun and to burn. with the production of a bright light at night and smoke during the day, so

as to plainly show the trajectory of the projectile. In the form shown in said Letters Patent the pyrotechnic compound is arranged in a cavityor chamber'in the rear of the proj ectile. When so arranged, considerable difficulty is encountered in preventing the destr'uction or injury of the compound by the intense pressure and heat of the explosive charge of the gun.

The object of the present invention is to so arrange the pyrotechnic compound that it will not be liable to injury by the pressure or heat resulting from the combustion of the driving charge in the gun.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a sectional view of aprojectile having my improvement applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are an elevation and section, respectively, showing a modification in the arrangement of the pyrotechnic compound and the means for igniting the same. Fig. at is asectional view illustrating a further modification of thearrangement of the compound and the igniting mechanism. Figs. 5 and 6 are an elevation and Application 519a August 12, 1901. Serial No. 71,868. on model.)

bore of the gun to prevent the escape of gases past the projectile. The pyrotechnic com pound is made in the form of a strip or rot and is so arranged on the projectile that the combustion will be progressive along the stri; o r rod, which is made s-ufficientlylong rela tive to its rate of combustion and the flighi of the projectile as to insure the visibility o: the projectile during such flight.

In the construction in Fig. l a cavity 2 is formed in the projectile 1, extending'from 2 point at or near the front end of the project ile into the bodyof the same. A rod or strij 3, formed of a combustible non-explosive 0i pyrotechnic compoundfls placed in the cav ity, closely filling the same, seats to prevent the compound from being ignited at a min or points in the rear of its front end, anc' thereby forming two or more points of com bu'stion. The pyrotechnic compound can bi conveniently formed of a mixture of magne siuni or aluminium, gunpowder, and an oxi dizing agent, with a binder, as shellac or glue In order to ignite the compound, a porous sive'primer or cap 4 is supported at the from end of therod or strip-3 by a suitable anvi 5,-which may consist of a shoulder formed b enlarging the outer end of the cavity. Thi: cap or primer is exploded to ignite the com pound bya firing block or pin 6, fittingloosel in the outer end of the cavity, in which it i: retained by cover 7. As the projectile i: forced suddenly forward by the explosiw charge the cap or primer will be driven wit sufficient force to produceexplosion or igni tion against the pin or block,'-which, by rea son'of inertia, will remain stationary unti struck by the cap or primer.

In the construction shown in Figs. 2 and the cavity 2 forthe reception of the pyro "technic compound is formed externall;

around the front portion of the projectile starting from a point at or near the front 6111 of the projectile and extending spirally to ward the rear end thereof a sufiicie'nt dis tance, dependent upon the rate of burning o the compound and the flight of the projectile to render the path of the projectile visibl until it strikes. The rod or strip 3, forme of the pyrotechnic compound, is laid in thi spiral cavity, and the outer surface therec venom overed with a suitable material, as shellac, irevent the transverse igniting of one per i of the strip from another portion by the t or flame passing transversely across the tions of the projectile intermediate of two tions of the groove or cavity. The strip 37 be ignii by the mechanism shown in 1, or the igniting mechanism may be inged within cavity 8 in the projectile, l cavity being connected to the external ity containing the pyrotechnic compound a fuse 9, arranged within a passage 10 in projectile. In this construction the cap primer 4 is arranged at the end of the inqal cavity or chamber, and the fuse 9 eX- ds into suitable igniting proximity to such The f ring bloci; or pin 6 is loosely arged within this cavity, which is open at rear end of the projectile, so that the block or pin will be forced forward by gases of the exploding charge Within the plcde or ignite the primer or cap. iin iiy cap or primer or the block 6 ili seal .e enterend of the cavity 8 to preit: the escape of gases and the forcing out the fose; it is preferred, in order to are the perfect sealing of the cavity, to arge a metal washer or disk 11 in the rear .he firing-block, said washer tightly fitting cavity or chamber.

of arranging the cavity containing pyrotechnic compound spirally around front portion of the projectile it may be sued of a series of longitudinal back-and- ;h grooves or cavities, and in lieu of using BYGHSSiY'Q primer to ignite the pyrotechnic ipound a frictional igniter may be our yed for that purpose. A convenient means his end consists of a block 12, carried by projectile and adapted when the projectis caused to move by the explosive charge gitndinally or spirally by the riding to ren stationary a snfficient length of time to the adjacent faces of the projectile and ck intorubbin g contact against each other, i thereby subject a suitable material inposcd between them to sufficient friction :anse its ignition. It is preferred that the ck 12 should be made of such a shape as form the front end of the projectile. A. eaded pin 13 is secured to the front end of body the projectile, and the block is vided with an internally-threaded cavity core for the reception of the end of this ew. The diameters of the screw and the 'e in. the block are so proportioned that the cl; .will screw freely onto the pin. In the l of the body of the projectile is formed a see or groove ll for the reception of a maial adapted to he ignited by friction, and inner face of the block 12 is also provided h a similar material or with a surface which lrnb against the material in the body of the jectile when the latter is rotated by the in As the projectile is forced out of the 1 the riding thereof will impart a rotation to the projectile and the pin will screw ihtc the block, which by reason of; inertia will remain stationary, or relatively so, thereby bringing; the adjacent faces of the block and projectile close together with the rubbing motion and ignite the friction material.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the hand or strip 3 of pyrotechnic compound may be arranged on the surface of the projectile and caused to adhere thereto by any suitable material, as shellac, 650. The band or strip is so arranged that the coils or turns thereof are separated from each other a suilicient distance to prevent the heme or heat from one ccil,while the strip is burning, passing across to the next adjacent coil or turn, or the coils may be covered or coated with a material which will prevent an ignition from one to the other. It is preferred, however, to arrange between each turn or coil a strip or band of non-com.- bustible material, which will insulate one coil or turn from the others as against transverse ignition. A desirable means for igniting the strip or band 3 consists ofa cap orprimer 4, arranged within the cavity in the front end of the projectile, from which extends a passage containing a fuse 9. The cap is exploded by a firing block or pin (5, arranged in the front portion or". the cavity and held in position by a cover or plug 7. The operation of this ignitin device is the same as that shown in Fig. 1. p

it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other means than those shown may be employed for igniting the pyrotechnic band or strip and that any one of the forms of igniting devices maybe employed with any of the arrangements of the pyrotechnic band or strip. Y 4

It is characteristic of the invention herein that the pyrotechnic compound is so arranged as to be protected entirely from the heat and pressureincidentto the explosion of thedriving charge and that the combustion thereof is progressive along the band or strip, thereby insuring a continuous combustion during the entire flight of the projectile. It is further characteristic of the invention that the pyrotechnic compound is ignited by a part or member capable of movement imlependent of the projectile.

I claim. herein as my invention- 1. The combination of a projectile, a progressively combustible and non explosive pyrotechnic compound carried by the projectile in front of the sabot or bearing portion thereof, and having its point of combustion during the flight of the projectile in front of the sabot or bearing portion thereof, and a part or member capable of movement independent of the projectile for igniting said compound, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a projectile, a strip or band of combustible non-expl0sive 0r pyrotechnic compound extending from a point at or near the front end of the projectile toward its the rear end thereof and having the point or points of flame exposure or illumination in advance of the rear end of the projectile and means carried by the projectile for igniting said compound, substantially asset forth.

3. A projectile provided with a cavity extending from a point at or near the front end of the projectile toward the rear'end thereof and having the point or points of flame ex posure or illumination in advance of the rear end of the projectile, a combustible non-ex plosive or pyrotechnic compound arranged in said cavity, a movable part or member for causing ignition of said compound, substantially as set forth.

4. A projectile provided with an external I groove at or near its front end, a combustible non-explosive or pyrotechnic compound arranged in said groove, a movable part or memher to ignite the compound, substantially set forth.

5. A projectile provided with a cavity e tending from a point at or near the front c1 of the projectile toward the rear end of ti same and having the point or points of flat exposure or illumination in advance of t. rear end of the projectile, a combustible no explosive'or pyrotechnic compound arrang in said cavity, and a movable part or me] her arranged within the projectile to igni the compound, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto my hand. I

JOHN *B. SEMPLE.

Witnessesz.

- DARWIN S. WOLCOTT,

F. E. GAITHER. 

